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Atmosphere

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Atmosphere

Earth's atmosphere is a thin layer of gases that hover above our planet's surface. The atmosphere provides us with oxygen to breathe, shelters us from solar UV radiation, and warms Earth's surface via the greenhouse effect.

Near the ground, ozone is an air pollutant that causes lung damage and asthma attacks. But 10 to 30 miles above the Earth’s surface (16-48 km), ozone molecules protect life on Earth. They help shield our planet from harmful solar radiation.